


The Awkward Team-Up

by trainermoon



Category: Darkwing Duck (Cartoon), DuckTales (Cartoon 1987)
Genre: a few others are mentioned - Freeform, but its really these two that have the big roles here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-13 04:17:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13562643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trainermoon/pseuds/trainermoon
Summary: Darkwing gets dragged from vacation to infiltrate F.O.W.L. headquarters, but if everyone he knows is busy, how can he do this alone?





	1. Inconvenient Timing

**Author's Note:**

> I FINALLY figured out how I could make that Darkwing and Gizmo team-up I mentioned months ago!! I hope you like this!

It started simply enough. S.H.U.S.H. had newfound information on F.O.W.L. headquarters. In fact, the best possible info: Where it was. So despite Grizzlikoff’s numerous grumbles and pleas, J. Gander Hooter called in Darkwing Duck.

He notified him of the island, and of course where the island in question would be. The only issue was that not much was known about security around HQ.

“It could be very dangerous,” The director nodded seriously.

“…Do I even have to say it?” Darkwing murmured. Normally he’d be totally happy to be on the case, but this specific call had interrupted him from a planned vacation. They’d just finished packing when he got the message, so close to leaving that he and Launchpad were already stuffing the trunk. Part of him wanted to ignore the note, but he knew that’d be wrong. Not to mention a dangerous risk on his publicity. If he disregarded them, they wouldn’t count on him anymore, and then all chances of him becoming a big shot were… Well, shot.

And at the same time, he didn’t want to leave the others. They’d planned this for months! Yet they insisted that crime came first, it was his duty, etc, etc. So he ended up trudging in there anyways.

While he was tapping his hand impatiently on his beak, slumped over in an office chair, he could picture them right now.

_Actually, they’re probably still stuck in the car,_ he thought to himself. _And unless Morgana finally figured out that shrinking spell, poor Gos is probably squished between suitcases in the backseat! Either that, or Morg and Launchpad decided to pack less._ He couldn’t help but chuckle, but at the same time felt bad. _They’ll probably have plenty of fun without me…_

_Unless…_

_Unless I finish this case quickly! Then I can just take the ratcatcher and meet them at the beach!_

“Perfect!” he shouted aloud, temporarily forgetting the semi-professional setting. “Er, heh,” he cleared his throat and took the file from J. Gander Hooter. “It’ll be a perfect case. No set-backs!”

He left the office, briefly skimming over the file again, but avoiding running into anybody. He hopped on his motorcycle, and was at least 3 miles away when he realized—

“ISLAND?!”

He skidded to a halt, and fished out the papers once more. _How am I going to get to an old isolated island without a plane? And how am I going to get a plane without a pilot?_

He could have called Launchpad, he knew he wouldn’t mind it. But at the same time, he didn’t want to drag him out of vacation either! Besides, this was going to be a rare occasion when Morg, Gos, and LP would all be hanging out, without Drake involved. It wasn’t that the three hated each other or anything, but Gosalyn and Launchpad always seemed a little stiff around her. This would be a good time for them to finally get to bond!

No way, he was not calling Launchpad.

He reached the lair, and sighed, slumping into another chair, in nearly an identical position as before. He always subconciously knew he’d have to rely on people in a crime-fighting business, because no one ever listens to just one person. Yet, he never realized before how _much_ he relied on others. And how much he was going to rely on someone else right now.

There’s only one more person I can trust near St. Canard to fly me there. Safely, at least. Darkwing leapt out of his chair, trying to shake off this downer mood he’d been trapped in. Opening his file cabinent (and careful not to let it hit him in the gut this time around) he began his search.

“J…. Ah, here we are. Just… Just Ice? Why do I even have that… HAH!” He held out the correct folder triumphantly, only to remember once more why he had needed it. His face dropped slightly, but he knew what he had to do.

 He took a deep breath, and opened up one more file:

The Justice Ducks one.


	2. The Break-In Begins

“This is ridiculous,” Darkwing muttered, still bitter from earlier that day. “Don’t you have a chair on your back installed in that thing?”

Gizmoduck raised an eyebrow at the strangely-worded question, but it remained hidden under his visor. “You said you needed help, and I’m here to provide! You aren’t exactly in a place to be sour, you know.”

“I’M EXACTLY IN A PLACE TO BE SOUR!” he shouted, kicking his legs. Much to both of their dismay, the only way they could both get across was if Gizmo held Darkwing under his arms, leaving him to awkwardly dangle and have no real thing to grip onto. And even though he knew he would never do it, it unsettled Darkwing knowing that Gizmoduck could drop him so easily into the deep, huge ocean beneath them.

They rode(?) in silence, with Gizmoduck trying to stir up friendly conversation in regards to every little speck that was different from the scene. If there was a single fish jumping out of the water, Darkwing knew, and for once, not because of his self-proclaimed keen senses.

His arms were sore, and he was more bored than he’d ever been in his life.

_They must be having so much fun… And what am_ I _doing? Playing the part of the basket in a Red Riding Hood play, that’s what!_

“Wait,” Gizmoduck shattered into the quiet atmosphere. “Does the island by chance have a steel tower, with three tall pillars, and a chain-link fence?”

Darkwing glanced upwards warily. “Yeeees?”

Gizmoduck started to put his hand on his chin, but stopped as Darkwing cried out. “Hmm… In that case…” He made a turn so sharp it probably could have cut through the fence, and once Darkwing adjusted to the setting sun blaring his vision, he spotted the island in the distance.

“Wait wait wait,” Darkwing shook his head, and glared up at Gizmoduck again. “You mean to tell me, we PASSED IT ALREADY?”

“Well, not passed so much as… missed it in my peripheral vision the first time around…”

Darkwing put his head down once more and gritted his teeth. “Great, you’re a real observant hero, Giz.”

This remark was met with Gizmoduck finally dropping him. He shouted a sharp “YIPE!” and closed his eyes, prepared for contact.

Schhwoosh.

“S...sand…?” he opened one eye and found himself stuck up to his tail in the sand. “SAND!” he grinned.

Gizmoduck casually landed, crossing his arms. “Well someone was in a hurry.”

“Says the guy who wasn’t patient enough to land with me next to him! Launchpad would nev—“ He cut himself short. Thinking about LP would make him think about Gos, Morg, and the vacation he was STILL missing. Now wasn’t exactly an ideal time to fall into a depressive episode.

“Nevermind, let’s just find an entrance,” Darkwing reached into his jacket for the file. _If I could fit my gas gun, I could easily fit a tiny file, right?_ He pulled out a creased, slightly torn folder. _Okay, yes and no. But I can work with this._

He pulled out a blueprint of the building. “Now we can’t just go waltzing through the front door. There’s an airvent on the left—“

“I can’t fit through an airvent!”

Upon hearing this, Darkwing fought to bite back the smile threatening to break on his face. “Oh, you can’t? I’m so sorry, this is a real bummer for the both of us!” He gently pushed him towards a tree. “You just wait out here, and I’ll be back as soon as I’m finished looking through the place.”

It wasn’t a total lie. S.H.U.S.H. didn’t exactly have a full objective for him, it was mostly just “See what you can find” and such. Most likely because he was on the tinier side, it would be easy for him to get in. And Gizmoduck certainly couldn’t fit through a vent. So, he left him there, and began to march towards the building.

Getting in was easy, he just had to slip through the vent, quiet and quick, and preventing potential claustrophobia, hopping silently to the other side. It was a really, REALLY boring room, though. The computer looked old and clunky, and the floor boards even creaked. _Yeesh. Am I in the right place…?_ He made mental notes of where the floor squeaked, and scoured the room. Desk, chair… No drawers, and the computer was missing a plug. He ran his finger on the desk, and found it was completely coated in dust. It was crystal clear, no one had even thought about this room in forever.

He quietly opened the door, finding it gave a lot of resistance. He rustled it more, but it still wouldn’t budge—

_Oh, great. It’s popped off._

The other end of the doorknob made an uncomfortably loud clunk on the other end of the door, and he carefully pried it open the rest of the way. This room really HADN’T been touched in forever.

He walked cautiously through the dim hallway, unsure if anyone was even here, or it was just this certain hallway. He heard a quiet chatter, and started to panic.

“…I know, I know. I’ll be home before then!” _Is that… No. No, no no…_

Beep!

“So, how’s that excursion going?” Gizmoduck clasped his hands together, seemingly proud.

“SHHH,” Darkwing covered his mouth quickly. “How did you get in? Where you on the PHONE? In TOP-SECRET, EVIL, DANGEROUS HEADQUARTERS?” He was still quiet, but his tone very clearly showed he wanted to yell.

“She was just a bit worried, nothing to stress about!”

“EXCEPT US GETTING FRIED!!”

“…Except th—Wait.” Gizmoduck’s voice lowered and he turned his head just slightly. Darkwing heard it too, very faintly. Wheels maybe? Or shoes squeaking on the linoleum… Either way, it meant they weren’t alone.

“Quick, in there!” he pointed at a closet, and Darkwing was going to object, but was shoved in the tiny space before his beak even fully opened. Besides, it wasn’t like there were any alternatives.

Gizmoduck pressed his helmet against the wall with a clud, but realizing that wouldn’t work he just sighed and moved back. “Shove over,” Darkwing grumbled, and put his own head to the door.

The squeaking got louder, louder, louder… it paused. It paused for what felt like an eternity. He heard a soft Chhk through the door, and immediately feared the worst. They held their breath, and the squeaking slowly continued, getting quieter, quieter, quieter… gone.

They heaved a sigh of relief in sync, and Darkwing started to open the door to peek out. Except there was one problem.

The door wouldn’t budge.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearly forgot to upload this today, but enjoy anyways!!


	3. Well... This is Awkward

“I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS!” shrieked Darkwing, his pitch rising slightly higher with every word. Gizmoduck hurriedly clapped a metal hand over his mouth.

“Not so loud, Darkwing!” he whispered sharply. “They could hear you!”

“Yeah?” Darkwing pushed him off. “Well let them hear,” he started, but lowered his voice anyways. “Unless you’ve forgotten how YOU made us end up in here!” He gestured wildly to the cramped closet they were stuffed in, and while it would have been fine if it was just Darkwing, it wasn’t.

“Who knows how long we’ll be trapped!”

Aside from them, the only other things in the closet were a heater and the electricity box. It was a safe bet no one would be in here for a while, but that still didn’t mean they wanted to stick around. Talk about a cruel but unusual punishment.

The only light came from a screen on what seemed to be the suit’s stomach, and even then it was terribly dim.

“Well, Mr. Cunning Crimefighter, what do YOU suggest we do?”

Darkwing opened his mouth to object, but the insult he planned in his head fell flat. “Your phone. I know you have one.”

Now it was Gizmo’s turn to worry. “M… My phone? You don’t want to see my phone, it’s boring! Surely you have some high-tech mumbo jumbo with you!”

Darkwing did have his mic with him, but it only reached Launchpad, and he was already out of the park. Besides, he probably forgot it at home anyways. The only other person besides those on the trip that he could trust was Honker, and… Well he was a kid! He couldn’t go out there himself!

And there was no way Neptunia or Stegmutt could make a stealthy entrance to break them out.

“I don’t,” he said simply, deciding not to waste time listing off his contacts. “But you do. So hand it over!”

“No!”

“So much for a helping hand! Quit being a baby and just give it to me!”

“It only accepts incoming calls!”

“Oh I’m sure! Let me be the judge of that!”

They twisted and turned and fought the best they could, but thanks to the suit’s snug fit in the closet, Gizmoduck didn’t quite have enough room. “Look, if you don’t want me using it, just call someone yourself!”

Gizmoduck still held the phone close, almost comically small in his hands. “All…. All right, but cover your ears.”

“What are you talking abou— OH.” _He brought his own phone? Like, a citizen-alter-ego phone? Gizmoduck has an alter-ego…?_ He cupped his hands over his ears.

But only slightly.

Gizmoduck looked at him for a good while. Even though he couldn’t see his eyes, Darkwing knew exactly what was going through his head, and nodded for him to go on. Gizmo lifted the phone to his face, and began to dial.

“Gyro? You there?”

Darkwing thought the name was familiar, but couldn’t let it show on his face. He looked up at nothing, feeling Gizmoduck still looking at him cautiously.

“Yes, yes I’m here!” the voice on the other line was faint, but distinct enough Darkwing could hear. “What do you need Fenton? You kind of left unannounced, not that that’s a problem of course.”

…Fenton?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost to the end!


	4. An Even More Awkward Goodbye

_Fenton… hmm._ It sounded so familiar it was gnawing at Darkwing, but he couldn’t place a name to a face… _Fenton, Fenton…_

_Ugh, why couldn’t Launchpad be here? He knows everyo—_

Fenton! Fenton Crackshell!

That annoying guy Launchpad knew from Duckburg? The one who worked for Scrooge McDuck with him? Oh, so that’s why Gyro sounded familiar. He was in the newspaper with Mr. McDuck once, if I’m not mistaken. But that doesn’t matter right now!

Fenton was Gizmoduck?

It explained a lot, but he didn’t have time to connect the dots of Fenton’s one encounter with him coinciding with Gizmoduck showing up in St. Canard. The phone call was still going on, and it sounded vaguely like the Gyro guy from before was giving instructions as to how to carefully and most importantly, quietly take the door off it’s hinges.

“Mhmm… Ok…”

A soft click followed Fent—Gizmo’s murmurs.

“Perfect! Thanks Gyro!”

“Aw, think nothing of it! Also, do you by chance know why M’ma keeps calling Scrooge?”

Gizmoduck had an awkward smile and in one breath, responded, “Ok thanks gotta go bye!”

He caught the hinges in his hand with a quiet clink, and put them in a compartment somewhere in the suit. He pushed the door forward, making sure to hold it up above the ground to avoid telltale scuff marks. In an instant, Gizmoduck was a hero again.

“Let’s go! Did you get anything?”

Pretending he didn’t hear, and removed his hands. “Hmm?”

“Did you uncover any—Oh, nevermind. We need to get out before whoever that was comes back. At least now we know this base is still being used, but I wish we could have learned it an easier way.”

Darkwing walked past him, arguably more annoyed than before, but he couldn’t show it. Because if he knew HIS secret identity, he would want to learn Darkwing’s too. And… he wasn’t exactly sure that was a good idea. “Go outside, and STAY there this time. I’ll check one more room and see if I can find at least one thing before we have to leave.”

With a swift nod, Gizmoduck wheeled off, and Darkwing spun on his heel, leaving the two to part once more.

 

 

Darkwing slipped into the next room, slightly in shock. That bumbling dork is… the METAL bumbling dork?

He found this room empty as the first, but more modern and up-to-date-looking. Not to mention this one had a file cabinet. He leafed through the folders, finding one suspiciously named “Totally Not S.H.U.S.H. info”.  Without hesitating, he shoved it into his jacket, and bolted out of the room.

He tip-toed through the halls, back to his original starting point in the near-empty, dusty room. He huffed at the height of the vent, and attempted to climb onto the desk. But there was no way he could reach! Unless he stood on top of the thick computer monitor too, but that’d be ridiculous.

So he scrambled to the top of the monitor.

After another tight crawl, he was outside again. “Well?” Gizmoduck seemed to have been waiting on the other side. “Did you get anything?”

Brushing off his shoulder, Darkwing held out the newly found file. “Only the most important documents in the hokey hideout! All thanks to Darkwing Duck, of course.” He stood melodramatically, hands on his hips.

“Yes yes, that’s all fine and good but we should probably be going.”

“Huh?” Darkwing looked at the now-dark night sky. “OH, uh, yes. We should.”

And so, they went home.

The ride was shorter than the first time around, and once they teached the tower, they quietly said goodbye. Darkwing waited till Gizmoduck was out of sight, then ran down the stairs to the mini-garage built in the lair, but stopped halfway.

The tiny living area Gos and Launchpad insisted he make was now filled with three people.

Morgana, still in her sunhat from when they packed, sat uncharacteristically lazily on the couch, completely asleep, with Gosalyn leaning against her. Launchpad was snoring on the chair, totally knocked out himself, too, and snoring so loudly that Darkwing was astounded the other two could sleep.

“Launchpad!” he whisper-shouted. “Launchpad!”

“HUH WH—Oh, morning DW,” he leaned back and stretched, nearly causing the old chair to topple.

“Why aren’t you at the airport? You’ve missed the flight!”

“Well,” he started with a yawn. “Y’see, we were going to go, but then Gos got all fussy about leaving without ya. And… you know I can’t exactly disagree, and Morg said something like…” He sat up straighter and held out a finger. “…’Gosalyn is right! Dark Dearest needs this vacation the most out of all of us anyways!’ And then I said ‘But what about the flight,’ and they said ‘Launchpad, you’re a pilot,’ so I—“

“Wait, you guys ditched for me?”

“When you put it like that, I sorta feel bad about it, but pretty much! So how was your case?”

Darkwing furrowed his brow slightly. “Y’know… uneventful. But I am tired, so… We’ll leave tomorrow then.”

“Sounds alright to me!”

“Oh, and do you think on the trip you could tell me more about back when you worked for Scrooge McDuck?”

“Sure, but… why?”

“I dunno, just thought it could be fun to pass the time. Remember when you brought that Fenton guy over?”

“Of course! Fenton’s great, but I thought you hated him. I mean, I have tons of stories to tell about him, I just never thought you’d wanna listen!”

“Ohhh no no,” Darkwing was the one to yawn thistime around. “I just thought it could be… interesting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE SO FAR but maybe someday I could think of a... continuation perhaps? Hope you enjoyed this anyways though!


End file.
